The Letter
by bellaruthless
Summary: Hermione receives an unexpected visitor that brings with him a letter that changes her life forever. (AU Post war)
1. Chapter 1 A Visitor

_It had been a long day. A very very long day. Hermione Granger was completely exhausted after her first full day at the Ministry. In spite of everything she'd done, fighting in a war, saving the world from Lord Voldemort, keeping Harry Potter alive for 6 years of peril at Hogwarts as well as making sure he'd passed his exams, the world saw her as nothing more than a muggle-born. She was no more than a curiosity for most people. "Brightest witch of her age" was what they called her. Indeed, she was bright, she was the top student for all her years at school. She'd been bestowed with an Order of Merlin First Class for the love of Godric. Still, no award or praise or OWL or NEWT scores could help her get anywhere in the ministry other than through the door. She'd spent the day filing papers and fetching coffee, COFFEE, for people who should be indebted to her for saving their sorry arses from one of the darkest wizards in history!_

 _Hermione angrily flopped down on her bed in her flat and picked up the muggle novel she'd begun reading the previous night. She was sure Ron and Harry's first day at the ministry had been rather different. They'd both been put on the fast track in the Auror training program. Neither had NEWTS but that was no matter for the Saviour of the wizarding world and his Pureblood best friend. Hermione hadn't been offered the same opportunity. She knew it had nothing to do with her gender and everything to do with her blood status. Everyone talked about how Voldemort had been insane, how his and his followers hatred of mudbloods had be awful and inhumane. Clearly that wasn't the case considering after the awards had been handed out and she'd be paraded around she'd promptly been ignored and told to be grateful for her job offer as a file girl in the ministry._

 _She shut her book with quite a bit more force than she'd intended and practically threw it down on her bed at the sound of a knock on the door. Who in the bloody hell would bother her this late in the evening, Ron and Harry were probably out having a celebratory drink after their first day of training, she hadn't heard from them much in the past few weeks, Harry she knew had been dragged even further into the spotlight he loathed so very much and hardly had time to sleep without being harassed. She'd recieved an owl or two from him, nothing more than a "I miss you" and "we should catch up as soon". She'd heard nothing from Ron. Their kiss during the final battle had been nothing more than recklessness when faced with impending death and she found in the days following Voldemort's demise that Ron had grown awkward and uncomfortable around her until she'd cornered him after one too many firewhiskys and asked him why. It turned out he'd been avoiding her because he had no interest in her romantically, once she'd told him she also felt nothing romantic toward him he'd relaxed. Since then however, the Daily Prophet had run photo after photo of the war hero turned auror trainee taking out girl after girl with his fancy new galleons to match his fancy new career._

Hermione snapped out of her rather bitter reverie and, wand in hand, yanked open the door of her flat. She stepped back in shock and raised her wand up to the throat of one very nervous Draco Malfoy.


	2. Chapter 2 The Letter

"Granger, for the love of Merlin will you please lower your wand and let me in?" Malfoy asked with a mix of nerves and irritation holding his hands up in mock surrender.

"Not until you tell me what in the bloody hell you are doing at the door of my flat, and for the matter, how you found it in the first place!" she spat angrily, digging the tip of her wand into his throat. The war had made her hard and angry, her childhood bully showing up at such an obscene hour had done nothing to improve either of those traits.

"I followed you home from the ministry, now will you please let me inside!" Draco said as he glanced around the empty hall. "I don't know if anyone else lives on your floor, but this would be a rather awkward scene to stumble upon and I'd like to avoid people right now if you don't mind." He said, irritation beating out nerves.

"Fine, come in, but I'm not lowering my wand yet Malfoy. I don't trust you and the fact that you've apparently been stalking me gives me even less reason to trust you than I already had." She backed away from the door and let him inside never taking her eyes or her wand off him.

After shutting the door she backed him into one of the armchairs in the main room of her flat. Once he was seated, hands still in the air, she sat in her own and spoke.

"Alright Malfoy, we're inside, now tell me what in the Godric's name you are doing here. I'm tired and want to go to bed, not deal with twitchy little ferrets in places they shouldn't be."

"I have a letter" he said, slowly lowering one of his hands, "it's in the pocket of my trousers, it's for you."

She raised an eyebrow, "For me? What could you possibly be doing with a letter for me?"

"My mother found it in the manor." He flinched at the way Hermione had recoiled at the mention of his childhood home where she'd been held captive and tortured by his insane aunt. "I haven't opened it so before you ask, no i have no idea who it's from." He held the letter out tentatively and she snatched it out of his hand. She didn't recognise the elegant script on the front of the letter nor the wax seal on the back, which she carefully tried to preserve as she opened the letter.

 _My dearest Hermione,_

 _By the time you read this letter I fear I shall be long dead and you shall be a grown woman. Hopefully you've done me proud and done well in the world, I pray the Dark Lord has been vanquished in your time. I made the mistake of joining him and have come to find that you can't simply back out of the cult of an unfortunate madman. It is the fear of losing my own life should he learn of my deceit, as well as the fear for your's, my young daughter, that has driven me to glamour you and place you in the care of a muggle family. Do not go looking for your mother as she died shortly after bringing you into this world, but know she loved you very much. I wish I could be there for you my darling. As I am not, I beg of you to take this letter to your uncle. I hope he will forgive me for the foolishness of youth and take you in as his own._

 _With love, your father,_

 _Regulus Arcturus Black_

 _P.S. A drop of your blood placed upon this letter should release you from your glamour._

 ** _Authors Note:_** _Deepest thanks to Colubrina for taking time out of her day to beta read this for me!_


	3. Chapter 3 A Revelation

She dropped both the letter and her wand in wide eyed shock and stared at Malfoy.

"I-I-I-I I'm a Black!?" She stood up; the force of her movement sent the hefty armchair back several paces. She bent down and carefully picked up both her wand the dropped letter. _P.S. a drop of your blood placed upon this letter should release you from your glamour._ She shakily headed to the small open kitchen, slipping her wand into the holster on her hip and grabbed one of the knives. It wasn't like she had anything to lose. Her friends had all but forgotten about her, and her parents were living in Australia, unaware she even existed. If this was some childish prank of Malfoy's design she'd _calvario_ him and send him on his way. "Here goes nothing," she said quietly, she poked the tip of her finger with the knife and watched as a single droplet of blood fell on the letter.

A thick cloud of darkness swirled up out of the letter, engulfing Hermione. Her shock was replaced by panic at the way the room disappeared from view. Surprisingly the dark cloud didn't interfere with her ability to breathe, it did however have a faint metallic smell. Her skin tingled in a not entirely unpleasant way and she could feel the magic rippling across her body. The tingles dissipated with the cloud moments later. When the room came back into focus she sprinted towards the full length mirror on the wall by the armchairs and gazed at her reflection.

Her once frizzy, unruly brown curls had changed to silky black waves that neatly cascaded down her back. Her cheekbones had become sharper and her skin paler. Her brown eyes had changed to the same soft grey as Sirius's, though she suspected they'd flash silver in anger as his had done numerous times during the war. Hermione absently scratched at the scar on her arm. Oh the irony, she looked like the much younger, prettier, saner, sister of the woman who had put it there. She wondered what Bellatrix would do if she knew the dirty mudblood she'd tortured for hours in a drawing room was her cousin. Probably still would've tortured her, the crazy bitch had tried and thankfully failed to kill Sirius after all. Oh Merlin _,_ Sirius was her uncle! She wondered how he'd react. She had to go to Grimmauld Place immediately and see him.

She turned away from the mirror to head towards the fireplace when she caught sight of Malfoy. His mouth hung open in a mix of shock, horror, and awe. Hermione glared at him and he stiffened a bit. The shock didn't bother her, the horror and awe however grated quite a lot. If she'd grown up looking like a Black she was certain the man before her wouldn't have been nearly as nasty to her, regardless of house affiliation. She could only assume the look of horror was due to thoughts rather close to her own, when guilt flashed across his features she was near certain they were the same.

"So you do feel guilty about all the shite you put me through? Good to know." She said.

"If I'd know you were a Black-"

"You what?" she cut him off, "Wouldn't have treated me like scum for 7 bloody years?"

"Yes. I mean I could've guessed you weren't a mud- muggleborn. You were too good at magic to be anything but a pureblood. I'm sure my mother and father will be much more satisfied with my marks being second to yours now that they know you're a pureblood and a Black." He said with self-satisfied grin. She stomped her foot in frustration.

"You haven't changed at all Malfoy! You're still the same blood purist prick you were all through Hogwarts, I was still raised by muggles you arrogant arse! I studied hard and worked tirelessly to have the best marks in school! This little revelation changes nothing."

"It changes everything Hermione! You're practically royalty! Sacred Twenty Eight! You're practically a princess! I'm sure Sirius will find you a proper prince, my mother will be happy to help."

"A proper prince?" She audibly snorted and rolled her eyes, "Have you _met_ Sirius? He hates all that pureblood shite. Anyway I have no desire to get married especially to some arsehole blood purist who only wants me for my name and fortune. No thank you. I'll live happily in the 20th century. Continuing this conversation will be hazardous to your health and your hair so I suggest you shut up unless you'd like a repeat of third year." She said with a scathing glare.

Malfoy opened his mouth then snapped it shut once more and rubbed at his nose, after a moment his lips curved up into a recognisable smirk.

"Welcome to the family... Cousin Hermione."

She pulled her wand out of her pocket and smirked back at him as a look of panic took hold of his features. The anxiety in his eyes lessened and his body relaxed when she pointed it at the fireplace and cast a quick _incendio_.

"You're coming with me to Grimmauld place," she said. "And I suppose I should start calling you Draco as we are family." She took a moment to note that her voice sounded exactly the same, which was a relief.

Draco rose quickly from his chair and followed her to the fireplace. She retrieved the small pot of floo powder and threw a handful into the fireplace. She called out "Grimmauld Place" and stepped into the green fire.

"Sirius?" Hermione shouted before she'd even had the chance to wipe ash off her robes. Her voice echoed around Grimmauld Place, though it was quickly replaced by Walburga's - her _grandmother's_ she realised with a shudder - screaming portrait. The screaming was cut off as someone, Sirius, she assumed, shut the curtains. Her assumption was proved correct as he ran into the room and came to a dead stop once he saw her and Draco standing there. Hermione found herself staring down the end of Sirius's ebony wand. Which was pointed right between her eyes.

"You're not Hermione." He glared down at her.

"Yes I am! Look!" She tugged the sleeve of her jumper up to reveal the _mudblood_ scar on her arm. "Ask me any security questions you want Sirius I'll prove I'm me"

"How did I escape from Hogwarts?" He asked.

"Harry and I rescued Buckbeak from execution and flew him up to Flitwick's office, I unlocked the window and we got you out. You and Buckbeak took off shortly after" She said.

He lowered his wand.

"Merlin's saggy pants. Hermione? What's going on? Why do you look like a Black?" He asked.

Grey met grey as she stared up at his face. "Apparently I am one, Uncle Sirius."

And with that, Sirius Black grabbed the nearest bottle of Ogden's Finest and downed half of it in one gulp.

 **Author's Note:** Endless thanks to Colubrina for beta-ing once again, as well as caffeinatedkiss for your encouragement!

I'm glad people seem to be enjoying this little story of mine


	4. Chapter 4 Grimmauld Place

"Sirius? Sirius are you okay? Sirius you're going to make yourself sick." the sound of a young woman's voice, Hermione's voice, echoed in Sirius's head as he downed the burning liquor. He looked into what should have been a pair of warm brown eyes, but was met instead by soft grey that matched his own. He took another swig of firewhiskey.

"Sirius can you hear me? Sirius put that bloody bottle down now!" Hearing Hermione's voice come out of a body that looked like a young female version of himself was bizarre and only encouraged him to try and take another drink.

"Hermione?" he asked, confused. "What the fuck is going on? Why do you look like, well, me?" Sirius could feel the effect of the firewhiskey on his body. It stabilised him, allowing him to take see the young Black before him as she truly was.

She snatched the bottle out of his grasp and shoved a piece of parchment into his hands. "That letter should explain everything," she said in a clipped tone.

Sirius read the letter, trying and failing to keep his expression neutral. He read it again and again trying to process the words and what they meant for him. He glanced up at Hermione and was overcome with a mixture of joy and grief so strong he couldn't contain the tears that spilled out of his eyes. He reached out and pulled Hermione into his arms and hugged her tightly as his body shook with sobs. Some of his bitterness at being forced into what was essentially imprisonment since the ill fated trip to the Department of Mysteries a little over two years ago evaporated. His brother had been a hero; he had a niece!

After several moments he released a visibly uncomfortable Hermione and looked back over to the floo where Draco Malfoy stood, awkwardness radiating off him in waves.

"I suppose _you_ have something to do with this?" Sirius asked.

"Erm, my mother found a letter addressed to Hermione at the manor and asked me to bring it to her, she can't exactly _leave_ after all," Draco said, looking down at his shoes, flushing with embarrassment at the reminder of his mother's imprisonment in Malfoy Manor.

"Well thanks. Do we hug?"

"I'm not much of a hugger." Draco said with a nervous laugh.

Sirius barked out a laugh of his own at the memory of Voldemort hugging Draco shortly before his demise and held out a hand. Draco reached out and shook it, a small smile on his face.

"Now that you two have made up can we please talk about what's happened?" Hermione asked as she poured herself a small glass of firewhiskey. "I have a feeling it'll be a shock for everyone and I'd rather get everything settled before Harry or, Merlin forbid, Ronald shows up."

No sooner had the words left her lips then the front door to Grimmauld Place flew open. She downed her firewhiskey and glared in the direction of the entryway, Murphy's Law at work once again.

"Pads? Tonks and Teddy are spending the night at Dromeda's so I thought I'd come by and keep you company, I brought some chocolates." Remus said.

"We're in the sitting room Moony" Sirius replied.

"We?" asked Remus suspicion evident in his tone. "Who else is here?"

"Hermione, and Draco Malfoy of all people. Hermione looks, er, different, don't be alarmed when you see her. She's been through a lot today." He turned around at the sound of something hitting the floor. Remus stood there, surrounded by pieces of honeydukes chocolate, golden eyes narrowed, the wand in his hand pointed straight at the black haired witch standing in the room.

"Moony! Moony stop! She's really Hermione I promise, put your wand down. I can't be held responsible for my actions if you hurt my niece." Sirius said with a mad glint in his eye reminiscent of that night in the shrieking shack all those years ago.

"Your _niece?_ ' Remus asked, his eyes wide with shock. "I can see the family resemblance, she looks like she could be Dromeda's daughter, but how is this possible?" Sirius held out the letter Hermione had brought with her. After a quick scan of it's contents Remus turned to Hermione and smiled.

"Tonks will be so excited to find out you're her cousin, and Teddy will be even more enamoured with you I'm sure." He pulled her into a hug and whispered "It'll be good for Sirius to have another Black to dote upon, I hope you'll consider moving in here now that Harry and Ginny have restored Godric's Hollow and moved there, I'm worried his drinking has gotten worse in Harry's absence."

"I hope she'll move in here Moony." His canine animagus enhanced hearing had no problem picking up Remus's whispered words. "She's a Black and my niece and of course you can keep your flat Hermione but I would really love if you'd consider it. You can have Reg's, erm, your Dad's old room if you'd like," he said with a hopeful look in his eyes.

"I can't. Not yet. I need time to process everything. I can't just jump into this new life Sirius." Hermione said, refusing to meet his eyes lest she see the heartbreak that was so clearly visible. Before anyone could stop her she stepped into the floo and fled back to her flat.

 **Author's Note:** thank you colubrina & caffeinatedkiss for beta reading!


	5. Chapter 5 Dropping By

The moment Hermione stepped out of the floo she closed it. She didn't want or need anyone coming through to try and get her to talk about it or change her mind. It was too much. She needed time. Time to think, time to adjust, time to mourn. Accepting Sirius's offer felt a bit too much like betraying her parents. Helen and Richard Granger had raised her well, she loved them dearly and the fact that she couldn't fix their memories after the war had ended had very nearly killed her. The fact that it had coincided with her losing her wizarding family had made it even worse. Once Molly Weasley learned that she wouldn't be Ronald's tame little housewitch she quickly reverted to the same cold hearted judgmental woman she'd been during the Triwizard Tournament. No matter how many times Ron had explained he and Hermione just wouldn't work as a couple to his mother, she wouldn't listen. The fact that her standing invitation to visit the Burrow had been rescinded had made her feel even more alone and made Sirius's offer all the more inviting. She was pulled from her thoughts by a crash. Hermione whirled around, hair sparking in anger, to face the intruder. Only to find a man with unruly black hair, bottle green eyes, and a lightning shaped scar sitting on his arse in the middle of her flat.

"Harry James Potter, what in Merlin's name are you doing in my flat!?" she asked. "How did you get in?"

"You never fixed your wards to keep me out." He shot her a grin which immediately turned to a glare followed by a raised wand at the sight of her black hair and grey eyes. "Who are you? What have you done with Hermione?"

"Relax Harry, it's me. I'll explain everything. In second year when I brewed Polyjuice Potion in Myrtle's toilet I accidentally turned myself into a cat. Now put your wand down," Hermione said with a huff and crossed her arms. She abhorred that anecdote and wouldn't have repeated it except she knew it was the one thing that would absolute prove to Harry that she was in fact herself.

"Ok." Harry said, a goofy smile spreading across his face at the memory. He lowered his wand, his expression turned pensive. "Now tell me what happened."

"Well it all started last night when dear cousin Draco showed up with a letter for me. Next thing I know I'm Hermione Black and Sirius is my uncle and head of house. Which I believe makes us officially family? Not only because your Father and Sirius were practically brothers but because your grandmother Dorea was Sirius's aunt." Hermione said with a hint of hysteria.

"For Merlin's sake Hermione, did you already memorise the entire Black Family tree?" Harry asked, not entirely sure how to cope with all of these revelations.

"No just the part of the tapestry I could examine before everything turned to chaos. He wants me to move to Grimmauld Place Harry. He wants me to live with him, be the daughter he never had, I don't know if I want to, I mean, I do know that I want to I just don't know if I want to right now. I know my parents are never coming back from Australia, Wendell and Monica Wilkins are happy and safe and will never remember me or anything else from their lives here, I have no other family." Her voice became faster and more panicked with each passing moment.  
"That's not true! The Weasl-"

"Harry that's rubbish and you know it!" She snapped in frustration before looking down at the floor, ashamed of the way she'd shouted at her best friend. After a moment to gather her wits and quiet her voice she continued, "Molly has once again stuck me out in the cold because I'm no longer dating Ronald. Everyone knows she makes the decisions for the family, even though everyone else will still treat me the same I know for a fact I am absolutely not welcome at the Burrow any longer." The painful look on Hermione's face and the slight shimmer of tears in her silvery grey eyes when they met Harry's made it plain that line of conversation was officially over.

The next thing she knew she was swept up into a massive hug by her best friend of nearly a decade and she could no longer hold everything in. Hermione sagged in Harry's arms and began to sob, she cried for her parents that birthed her, her parents that raised her as their own, both sets now gone forever, she cried for the surrogate mother who had cast her out without a moment's thought, she cried for her new family who longed to bring her in. Hermione Black cried for what felt like hours until she had run out of tears. Through it all her best friend held her and stroked her soft black hair desperate to help her sort everything out.

 **Author's note:** hey gang I'm back! shoutout to Colubrina for beta-ing


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